GCI President Update | July 2019
Importance of a Name
Names are a symbol of one’s identity and are of deep significance to the bearer. The sweetest words we hear is when someone important to us calls us by our name.
Just this past April, Grace Communion International celebrated its first decade with the new name. THAT’S WORTH CELEBRATING! We are GCI and have been for 10 years.
I am guessing that you have noticed my attire. This is a dashiki shirt that was tailored made for me in Ghana. On Easter Sunday 80% of the congregation were dressed in some type of shirt, skirt and even pants made of this same fabric. Notice the GCI logo printed in the fabric.
When the collective group echoed the expression “We are GCI,” we actually had the clothes on to prove it.
What does a decade of existence mean for GCI? It has been a full ten years of living into our name.
Grace:
Grace lies at the heart of our values and mission as a transformed church. It is the saving grace of Jesus that has transformed us into the new creation in him. We are no longer slaves to sin living blindly; we are slaves to righteousness basking in the brilliant light of Jesus. It is his amazing grace that has set us free, and it is his grace that energizes us for divine participation.
Communion:
Communion means the exchanging or sharing of intimate thoughts and feelings; communion is intimate fellowship.
And yes, it is the coming to the table and taking the consecrated elements of the Lord’s body – the broken bread and the poured out wine.
So why use communion as part of our name? It so very well expresses our spiritual unity with God and with one another, and it symbolizes our common faith.
Grace helps us to never forget of the saving actions of God done through his unique son Jesus, and communion reminds us of the ever-present relationship. He never leaves us, nor forsakes us.
International:
We have churches in 78 countries. And as a global network we can share best practices, prioritize our efforts, prayerfully support one another, and express unity in the church that displays the work of the Holy Spirit in us. It is one of the greatest gifts that we have as a Christian fellowship. This is a good opportunity for me to announce that we will host our GCI Denominational Conference in Charlotte, NC over the dates of July 29 – August 2, 2020. I hope you will make plans to be a part of this event that only happens once every three years.
I am thrilled to celebrate our first 10 years as Grace Communion International, and I am eager to see what the Lord will do with us and through us in the coming decade.
I am Greg Williams and it is my privilege to Update you about GCI.